[leadin]Cycling around the world’s largest lake is a massive bike-touring trip. Imagine doing it with a guitar and banjo in tow.[/leadin]
Musician Ben Weaver’s latest project is a 16-day, 1,300-mile circumnavigation of Lake Superior. Called “Surrounding Water,” the tour departed from Minneapolis on July 8th and there are 12 events scheduled in the United States and Canada over the coming days.
The tour is to announce the digital release of Weaver’s 8th LP, “I Would Rather Be A Buffalo.” Performances will be held at provincial parks, state parks, bike shops, libraries, and other unconventional venues.
Weaver hauls all his equipment on a Salsa road bike, including with custom bags and panniers made by Banjo Brothers to cradle a guitar and banjo on back.
The musician last fall completed a similar 25-day tour from Minneapolis to New Orleans. He stopped at the GearJunkie office, and we captured a video of the visit and a live performance on site. (See: “Bike & Banjo: Musician Rides 1,400 Miles On Record Tour.”)
The tour this month is in partnership with the Great Lakes Commons, and it has a goal to “engage audiences in a broad conversation about the state of freshwater” via songs, poetry, and local events.
Weaver has partnered with non-profit environmental organizations, including Save the Wild UP, Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, and the Sierra Club to help host events and performances along the route.
See a schedule of stops and check out Weaver’s music, including “I Would Rather Be A Buffalo,” at benweaver.net.
